Evanescence
by Chyrstis
Summary: She made a mental note to have a serious discussion with Happy and any other brightly colored, joyful expression after this, because this sudden influx of …“appreciation” for Robin was giving her a severe headache. RobRae.
1. Bloom

**Evanescence**

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Chapter One: Bloom

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She inwardly wondered how it would feel.

To burn so brightly, free of all restraints, of any and all concern for caution,  
and then be snuffed out just as quickly.

Pure, unfettered emotion.

She wondered if the petals on the flowers were the same.

One by one, they fluttered to the ground. She absently continued to pick the pale, pink petals and watched as each fell into place. Fingers grasped another petal, the life within flickering for an instant before being completely cut off.

The flowers bloomed late this year, she noted as another petal was quickly plucked. The leaves rapidly had begun to change, turning to deep reds and warm yellows. Fall had snuck up on them, yet again, and she stared directly at the shrinking bloom before her.

How would it feel?

Another petal fell.

She raised her eyes as the wind coursed over the grass. Flower still in hand, she threw an indignant glare over to her leader.

She had felt his eyes.

She had always felt his eyes.

They rested upon her as she sat, and watched as she proceeded to examine and take apart the innocent plant. The look on his face was calm, and rather insightful. A loose petal fluttered between her fingers and she let it go, the wind whisking it away. Robin's unabashed attention to her actions made her more than a little self-conscious, and if anything her glare only grew darker before withering completely.

A look passed briefly over his features. One of those looks that all too often told her that something was on his mind, and as he began to approach her there was no doubt left in her mind. The flower was still within her hands.

For a second she contemplated crushing it, just to feel it disintegrate between her fingers.

To have that final little light be smothered.

She reasoned that it was merely inevitable.  
The flower's beauty was fleeting, and crushing it in its prime would preserve it.

It would prevent its decay, the death that seeped into its every pore, claiming it quickly and draining all of the promises that rested within the bloom.  
She would save purity before its corruption.

Leaves crumbled under his steps and Raven peered up at Robin. The forlorn look that had claimed her eyes before was gone; pride owed her that much in respect to her feelings and the importance of negating them.

"…Can I help you?" she replied, her stare never wavering.

"I noticed that earlier, you'd wandered off." Robin started, continuing to watch Raven closely. "You didn't come back, so naturally I-"

"-Decided to be yourself and check up on me. You're overreacting." she interrupted, before plucking another petal from the flower.

He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "By feeling concern? Raven…"

Another petal was rapidly removed, and her eyes flitted between the flower and Robin. They came to rest on him, and the pitying glance resting on his features made the scowl return in full force.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like…" _I'm something to be pitied. Something wretched. Something far from your precious Sta-_

She froze, emotions already beginning to be pulled back into the dark recesses of her mind, and glanced back up at Robin. "Nothing. Never mind." This time she had been the one to overreact and she regretted that fact.

"I wanted to be alone, nothing more. …I wanted to experience the sudden shift in weather."

"It's peaceful. Quiet." Robin noted, before smiling. "We're not exactly the most silent of groups, are we?"

"Not together. Once separated, that fact rapidly changes. At least for Cyborg, and you."

This time he watched the fluttering petal as it drifted away into the fields. Once the light pink had fully disappeared into the expanse of the fields he settled into a crouch. "Habits are…difficult to break." He stated, turning back towards Raven. "And you've definitely made it a habit of moving from room to room without anyone noticing."

"…I prefer to keep it that way. I don't have to always announce my presence."

"Even though you do? Every day you come out of your room you announce yourself, only to creep away again whenever the focus of the conversation changes to you." Raven snorted at this comment, and his lips curved into a bitter smile. "Raven…"

She met his eyes again and silence enveloped everything. The light hum of voices in her mind was the only thing preventing her from solely focusing on Robin. Knowing that she was once again bearing the full brunt of his unadulterated attention almost brought a sneer to her face.

_Why even bother? Why waste your time?_

The warm feeling that had been flooding her chest now threatened to burn it. Another breeze drifted by and she sighed, moving her eyes back to her lap and the flower intertwined with her fingers.

"So, does he love you yet?"

Her hand hesitated, wavering above a petal that had yet to be plucked and somewhere in the distance she suspected that all of the windows on the left side of the tower had conveniently exploded. Her eyes snapped to Robin's masked ones, as a smirk crossed his once serious features.

"Wh…What is that supposed to mean?" she spat, trying to once again mask discomfort with annoyance.

"You've been plucking at that flower for a while now." He responded, trying to keep from laughing at Raven's conflicting expressions. "It's a game better suited for children, but sometimes people pluck the petals off of flowers whenever they're curious about someone they care for."

"He loves me, he loves me not…"  
His voice trailed off and Raven held his gaze once more.

"What…a silly idea." A surprised look now covered Robin's face as he regarded an indignant Raven. "Such are the ideas of children. Foolish, irrational…"

"…But honest." He insisted, taking her hand and holding it between them.

He watched her for a few seconds until her expression had finally sunk in. She appeared as if she had been slapped, a look of pure shock and confusion covering every facet of her normally stoic face.

He dropped her hand a second later, a tired laugh escaping his lips. "However, it seems like I'm the one who's being foolish."

Robin flashed her a sheepish grin and she slowly shook her head. "No, that's not true-"

"Robin!"

He whipped around at the sound of his name and immediately relaxed as he got to his feet. Starfire was drifting over the flowers as she peered across the field at the two of them, and her voice quickly reached them despite her distance.

"Robin! I trust you have spoken to friend Raven? Cyborg was hoping to have us participate in the tossing of the "pig-skin" after feasting!"

"Sure! Just give me a moment!" he turned back to Raven, whom he noted, once again had her mask firmly set in place. "Want to go? I know Cy would love it if you'd be referee."

"You go on."

"Raven…"

She glanced up at him and the pout that threatened to appear at a second's notice. She frowned and made a shooing motion with her free hand. "I'll get there in due time, just go and wipe that silly look off of your face."

His warm smile was all that she thought of as he ran away over the field. Was it wrong for her to believe that he had done that just for her? It was yet another memory that she folded up and stored with great care.

She watched as Starfire enveloped him in an affectionate hug and all whispers fell silent.

Such was the cycle.

A secret tempered by the coldest of truths.  
How long would she willingly go around in circles?

As they walked away she turned her attention to the all but forgotten flower in her grasp.  
Still living, still vibrant.

Soft tendrils of black energy crept up the plant and sank into its every pore, seeping into its very being. Her violet eyes peered at it as it darkened in shade and floated before her, caught in the grasp of her energy.

She observed it, sheer apathy etched into her features.

She blinked and the dark energy pulsed, crushing everything within it.

Pure unfettered emotion.

It was all she could do to focus on the broken item before her instead of the furious beating of her heart.


	2. Touch

First off, many, many thanks to those that reviewed. This is my first actual planned out Teen Titans fic, so to hear you guys say such things about it made my day. The plot is getting increasingly difficult to decipher however, and as time goes on, I may just end up playing this more by ear I'm afraid.

I don't think that this chapter is as good, or isn't exactly up to the standard of the first chapter, but I hope everyone enjoys it none-the-less. If certain stuff bugs you as much as it does me, I might just end up editing it later. A story takes time and effort, but hopefully I'll be able to update and keep up with this one. School is a tad bit demanding however, and I'll do what I can in between math, science, labs, etc.

Anyhoo, enough with this junk. Oh, and just in case you haven't guessed yet, I don't actually OWN the Teen Titans, but if the higher-ups are willing to part with them for a reasonable price then I'm sure that we could come to an amicable agreement.

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**Evanescence**

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Chapter 2: Touch

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She had no idea when it had started.

That lingering feeling, creeping down her arms, sinking into her very fingertips.

That insatiable urge to reach out and as absurd as it sounds, touch Robin.

Even now the thought brought on an onslaught of uncomfortable feelings and comments from her isolated emotions.

It wasn't that she simply craved prolonged physical contact.

No, it was far more complex.

If anything, she simply longed to reach out to him.

To do something so mundane as to touch his shoulder.

Hold his hand.

To ask for anything more would be inexcusable. To ask for the sort of intimacy that could never be rightfully reciprocated would be selfish.

No, she could never…

Never be held, never experience the feeling of his presence wrapped around her, the mere feel of his arms around her body.

The kettle let out a shrill whistle and Raven forcefully shut the book in front of her.

It was then that she thanked the world for the small miracles within it, like grabbing the last package of food just as someone reaches for it, or finding an article of clothing in your favorite color.

If any of the Titans had walked in on her at that particular time, they clearly would've noticed the vibrant shade of scarlet currently illuminating her face. Neither flushed with anger nor indifference, she would have to go to elaborate lengths to explain her distressed state of being.

At 5:00 in the morning however, not a single soul could be found traversing the tower. She would go through her morning routine in silence once more.

Except this morning seemed to fuel a frustration, an irritation that plagued Raven's very being.

The memory of the flower still burned brightly.

The feel of his hand clasped around hers.

Her grip on the mug tightened considerably and she quickly tried to repress the urge to slam it down on the countertop. She slowly closed her eyes and set her glass down on the counter, proceeding to massage her temples.

_Emotional overload,_ she reasoned.

_Nothing more, nothing less._

_Just be calm._

_Relax._

_Meditate._

_And all will be resolved…_

As she began her chant, everything drifted away.

She rested in a void of her own making, nothing getting in and nothing getting out.

She inhaled and exhaled lightly, whilst urging her heart to relax and beat at a light, steady rhythm.  
Floating gently in place, she rested her arms on her knees and entered nirvana.

A world devoid of pressures, of pointless stress; devoid of unfulfilled hopes and dreams…

…of desire.

She abruptly hit the ground and for the second time that day felt her face turn an unnatural shade of red.  
Raven quickly stood up, placed her hood securely over her face and stormed out to...where? Not even she knew the answer.

Her thoughts roared through her mind, a stream of questions, a jumble of words that even she could barely comprehend. The constant buzz of words, sensations and memories threatened to once again wrest her control from her…threaten to make her emotions flare in a display of her ineptitude. She would sooner consume one of Starfire's abysmal puddings than allow such an embarrassing display to be repeated.

Cyborg had already given everyone hell for the incident yesterday. She had hidden in the shadows while he ranted about having to repair the damages, but she suspected that he knew. Enough glares were thrown in her direction that she had felt the beginnings of guilt start to creep into her subconscious. She turned her gaze away as Robin attempted to rationalize the situation, and ultimately left.

Control.

What she longed for ultimately was control, and nothing would stop her from attaining it.  
Let alone such a matter as base as-

_Enough! _Her mind roared, determined to find and, if need be, forcefully resolve this problem.

Everything came spiraling to a stop, and one lone memory came to rest before her.

A lone pocket of her mind had been opened in the ensuing chaos and from there the thought had been ejected. She took it and gently began to unfold it as it took on shape and began to expand.

A world opened up all around her and she became aware of the color before anything else.

It was blinding.

White.

…And it all began with the innocent touch of a hand.

_Azarath._

That was where it had all started.

That pointless pre-occupation with touch.

_She had wandered out on her own, anxious to see everything that the world had to offer; anything aside from the white robes of those that surrounded her, the sterility of the walls that encased her._

_She longed to get away from the endless stacks of books and teachings, from the monks that constantly peered over her shoulder, watching, observing._

_She had been able to finally leave of her own accord, breathe in the crisp air, and behold the sun in all its majesty. Noises from ahead caught her attention and she came upon a small child sitting in a flower patch.  
Raven had never once viewed a child her own age._

_She had been born and raised in the careful isolation granted to her by the inhabitants of Azarath. Her very existence put the entire universe at risk, but not even she knew of the danger lurking in her future._

_To a young Raven, she was no different than the girl sitting not even six feet away, playing with the flowers._

_She watched as the child carelessly pulled the petals off of the flower, letting them fall towards the grassy ground. A smile captured her joyful expression and Raven watched, curiosity overriding any attempts to be cautious._

_The girl suddenly looked up and noticed her unlikely guest.  
She had never before seen such a child, let alone one in the elaborate attire that Raven was clothed in._

_She remained silent as Raven gazed on in wonder at the flowers surrounding them. The countless shades of color enraptured her, and the girl couldn't help but notice. A wide smile found its way onto her face and the flower was held out, an offering of sorts._

_Raven gazed at it hesitantly._

_She wasn't one to receive gifts, or items._

_Ultimately her desire to hold, to touch, the flower, outweighed any and all apprehensions surrounding it. She took the flower into her small, gray hands and felt the soft texture of the petals under her fingers._

_The girl beside her jumped up in excitement and flashed Raven the most brilliant of smiles. Seconds later she extended her hand, promises of exquisite colors and that of something new…friendship, evident in her very being._

_More hesitance gripped Raven at that point, but before she could even protest her hand was quickly grabbed. The girl pulled her over the flower fields, laughing joyously as she went, and Raven could do little else but be pulled along behind her._

_…Touch._

_No one had ever touched her before._

_Her own mother had never tried to hold her, let alone take her hand._

_It was strange, but wonderful._

_Running, laughing._

_It was almost a foreign concept to her, but at that place in time her lips curved upwards, the warmth of the girl's emotions flowing over to her through their small connection.  
_

_For a moment she felt truly and gloriously happy._

_It would only take another moment for that feeling to be absolutely demolished._

_She was roughly snatched away as the girl in front of her was pulled off to the side. Raven's look of terror quickly changed to that of confusion as four monks of Azarath surrounded her and kept her from even glancing at her new friend._

_The man that had grabbed the girl muttered urgent apologies to the monks._

_"My lords, please forgive my daughter. She knows not of the prophecy and of the child's station. She didn't mean to…touch her." He nearly spat out the last phrase and Raven reeled at the flood of negative emotions coursing through him._

_She tried to force her way through the barrier formed around her, but there was nothing that she could even hope to do. Pain, fear, derision soared through the air, and the last she saw of the girl was her crying face as her father moved to strike her._

_She never remembered spending another day outside of the walls of the temple. _

She would eventually come to a realization about her "station".

The monks that had always accompanied her and taught her their ways weren't just placed there to provide her with protection from the people.

They were there to protect the people from her.

She would come to learn of her destiny, of her parentage. Everything became all too clear after that…

Why she could never fully release the potent feelings welling up inside of her,  
why no one ever dared to look at her,  
why her own mother had never tried to hold her,  
comfort her when everything seemed to be for naught…

She was the daughter of chaos.

Body crafted out of nothingness to be used as a vessel.  
Her very being, her very soul teemed with every despised element in the universe,

And to touch her was to taste oblivion.

The marks on her skin had merely reminded her of the sins she had yet to commit in the future.

And yet even now, she still felt it.

That undeniable fear that she would taint the very things that she longed to touch, contaminate them with her sin. Even now, long after the end, long after the shadows had been banished…

The experiences on Azarath would always linger in her mind, even with her introduction to Earth and the people inhabiting it.

Laughing, crying, touching.

It could never be for her.

She remembered the feel of Robin's hand wrapped around hers.

The earnest look upon his face directed towards only her.

Her feet ceased their endless movement as her thoughts were once again pulled into her subconscious.

The dying flower filled her mind as she gazed upon the towering door before her.

Somewhere in the distance she suspected that fate was laughing.


	3. Giving

Hello, again. Hopefully this wasn't too long of a wait for everyone.

I don't know why, but this chapter went down kicking and screaming before I managed to piece it together. Writer's block hit me in more than a few spots considering the fact that I'm still playing this fic by ear, but it's getting better though. I already know the major scenes in the next chappie and I'm looking forward to that one already.

As for this chapter though, depending on whether or not you find some events plausible there could be OOC-ness. I tried to handle it in such a way to minimize it, but whether or not it exists is up to you really. This chapter's a bit iffy to me still, but overall I like it. I was worried that the story might be getting too dramatic, so there's a little bit of humor in this chapter to lighten it up. And we get to see the rest of the Titans too! I really didn't want to leave them out, so hopefully everyone's not acting terribly.

Also, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! Sixteen reviews? That just makes me so happy. :) I didn't think I'd get that many for only two chapters, so I hope that everyone likes this chapter just as much as the last two. It's not betaed, just to warn you, even though I feel that I'm in dire need of it. Do tell me what you think though. Inquiring minds want to know!.

**Disclaimer**: They're not mine I tell you! How many times must this poor fan willingly admit to it! Oh, and whomever came up the concept of "knock, knock" jokes should be forced to sit down and listen to every single one...

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**Evanescence**

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Chapter 3: Giving

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She whipped around and began to rapidly walk away. She had already dared to linger far longer than she was allowed. A presence rose up in the back of her mind, and she instantly knew that she had been too slow.

…too late.

Her feet halted their movements and she could already feel Robin's steady gaze settle on her back. How long had she been up? Raven knew that he was always one to wake up early, but how much time had passed? He continued to stare at her and it surprised her how at ease she could feel knowing that it was he doing the watching. She momentarily felt that burning sensation from before run through her chest. If her face hadn't have been red before now, it was surely getting there.

She made a note to have a serious discussion with Happy and any other brightly colored joyful expression after this, because this sudden influx of …"appreciation" for Robin was giving her a severe headache.

This was hardly the time or the place to get into an argument with oneself.

"Raven?"

Somewhere an emotion still begged her to flee, to run off into the shadows. Firmly deciding to stay put, she wondered if she would regret her choice later. She didn't bother to turn around and face him though, because the expression currently occupying her face was less than pleasant.

"What're you doing over on this side of the tower?"

"I live here remember?" she replied, not missing a beat. "My room is right down the hall."

He was silent for a moment, as if considering something and Raven detected a minute amount of nervousness in the air. Whether it was from him or her was anyone's guess. She heard him shift behind her and something crinkled like paper.

Raven glanced over her shoulder and saw shades of yellow, bright and vivid. She turned further to get a better look and felt her eyes widen. A bouquet of large golden flowers wrapped in shining pink paper filled his arms. Her once still hands had begun to twitch uncomfortably as she stepped closer. She couldn't help but feel drawn to them. They couldn't be real, not with such size, such color. She had only seen flowers of this nature in the books she had stumbled upon, but the pictures did little to lessen the impact of seeing the real thing up close.

He watched the entire scene unfold before him, more than a little fascinated by Raven's interest in his bulky cargo, and couldn't help but grin. Raven seemed as if she were caught between being intrigued and being spooked by the large flowers.

She continued to lightly examine the plant and he was nearly thrown by the presence of wonder in her eyes. It was as if she were handling something made of glass, almost too fragile to touch.

"They're sunflowers." Robin said as she slowly ran her fingers over the petals.

"Do I live in a bubble? Of course I know what they-"

Her eyes snapped up to his and she promptly stepped away from him and his gaudy bouquet. He had seen it. Seen everything. He had seen cold, distant Raven warm up to a bunch of worthless posies. Her face burned with humiliation and she looked at Robin, almost expecting him to mock her. What she didn't expect was the practically soft look upon his face.

She began to feel _very_ uncomfortable.

Looking away, she pretended to be studying a rather fascinating shadow situated further down the hallway. Doing so gave her enough time to reinforce her mask of nonchalance, one that she assured herself that she'd need more than ever if she planned on getting out of this conversation with her pride intact. Her gaze swept back to Robin, now sporting a thoughtful look upon his features.

"What?" she asked forcefully, fed up with his staring.

"Do you like them?"

It was an honest question. At the least she would give him that.

Raven's eyes went wide and her expression did a complete 180 in that one moment. Narrowed eyes darted from his face to the flowers and back again, before settling on the sunflowers. He may have just as well slapped her with them due to the intense distaste she was now eyeing them with.

"…They're giant yellow flowers."

"And?"

"You asked me if I liked them."

He raised an eyebrow. "So…?"

"Please tell me you see something wrong with that question."

Robin blinked a few times and ultimately shrugged. "So they're a little brighter than your usual ensemble. No big deal. Would you rather me shower you with roses instead?"

He flashed her a grin and from what he could tell, she was not amused. On the other hand, his seemingly innocent smile had brought back any and all pretenses of her nervousness and flushed state. Since the onset of the day nothing had seemed right, and seeing that it was still only in the beginning stages of it, it was only going to get worse before it got better.

Her hypersensitive reactions to his relatively casual behavior (at least on Robin's end) were beginning to concern her. Staring at him and his bundle intently, her fingers twitched.

And it wasn't due to those damned flowers.

"Charming." Raven aimed a glare at him from under her hood thanking all forms of a higher power that it was up.

His grin turned into a wicked smirk. "I try."

Folding her arms in front of her, she dug her nails into her palms before exhaling her breath in a snort. _Not exactly the most ladylike thing to do_, Vanity chided before being roughly told to shut up.

"Now to get back to issues that are actually…relevant." She shot, not in the mood for the games that her emotions were intent on playing with her. "What's the occasion? Take up gardening?"

The smirk vanished in the blink of an eye. He tensed and something obviously made him ill at ease.

_Why was he…?_

_…Oh. Well._

Usually she prided herself at not asking stupid questions.

She looked at the over-sized flowers once more and tilted her head slightly to the side as if considering them.

"She'll be happy." The words slipped out almost effortlessly.

He shifted on his feet and adjusted the flowers in his arms once more, every motion telling her that he was readying a protest. "It's not-"

"They're perfect." She met Robin's masked eyes, a wistful smile settled on her features.

He met her gaze, looking incredibly bemused, fighting confusion and any related emotions. The steadiness of her voice coupled with her expression pretty much told him to drop whatever it was he was about to argue and he fell silent. A smile crept across his face, but it was too brief to really take note of it.

"…Thanks." He said, words trailing off into silence. There was something about the look on her face that rendered him incapable of saying anything more. He could do little else but settle for staring blankly at the girl standing before him.

A moment passed and Raven's sincere attempt at a smile faded. Familiar emotions settled into place…indifference and apathy. Declaring their conversation over, she turned on her heel and proceeded to walk down the corridor. When had their conversations gotten so volatile? Emotions flared and sputtered all within the confines of one interaction, and Raven could feel his discontent as if it were her own. That wasn't how either of them had planned to have it go, and to cut it off at such a crucial point.

She frowned and came to a stop. Trying to comprehend her actions, words slipped out and she noted reproachfully that she came dangerously close to stammering.

"Of course you'll have to convince her that it's a gift not meant to be smothered in mustard and consumed soon after."

It wouldn't be until later that she would chastise herself for trying single-handedly to salvage the conversation. She would glare at the wall, tea in hand, and mutter to herself about how much of a fool she had been, how pathetic she must've sounded.

A chuckle broke through the heavy silence. "I'll keep that in mind."

But at that point she realized that she couldn't have cared less.

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Flipping idly through the pages of a book seemed to become a favorite pastime of hers lately. There was little else for Raven to do amidst the chaos that resided within the main room of Titans Tower. After all…one could only stand so many knock knock jokes.

"Hey Rae, tell me if you've heard this one."

She flipped a page in her book. No response.  
Beast Boy glowered at her from his perch on the arm of the couch. "Oh, come on Rae! This is a good one! It'll knock your socks off!"

"Just like you said the other ones would?" Another flip of a page.

"Ehh, those were nothing. I was just warming up!"

"Oh joy…" _Sweet Azar, was I that cruel in a previous life?_

He cleared his throat. "Knock knock?"

Silence.

"Knock knock?"

She flipped another page.

He faced her. "Knock knock?"

Couldn't she hear him? When she didn't respond, he got as close as he dared to without getting slaughtered. He decided that extra emphasis on his words might be effective. "_KNOCK KNOCK_, Raven?"

Nails dug into the thick cover of the book inhabiting her hands. Beast Boy inhaled and began his question once more. "…_KNOCK_-"

Raven whirled on him, black fire everywhere, eyes blazing, and no animal he changed into seemed small enough to escape her wrath. Her voice came out in a venomous whisper. "…_Who's _there…?" She glared at him as if he were something she had just scraped off of her shoe.

"Eh, ah uh…" He settled himself and once again sat upright on the armrest. "Leena."

She forced her anger down and raised an eyebrow. Why was she doing this again? "…(Sigh) Leena who?"

"Leena little closer and I'll tell you!"

She stared at him as if he had spontaneously sprouted a second set of nostrils on his backside.

Beast Boy looked down at her, victorious pose all set up. His cheery expression fell to the ground and he sank back into the armrest. "…Okay. …Maybe that one was a little weak, I'll give you that, but wait'll you hear this one!"

Her entire body went rigid at his declaration to start another joke.

_Is it too much to ask for a little intervention? Nothing big, really. A lightning bolt? Maybe one of the more minor plagues…_

Her eye began twitching heavily and Cyborg took that opportunity to ask her what she wanted for breakfast.  
"Hey, dark girl! What'll be today? The bacon's sizzlin' and the waffles are mm-hmm, good!"

Her prompt response (between cries of "meat forever" and "tofu conquers all") was one herbal tea and a side order of green eggs and ham. Beast Boy quickly turned the shade of his preferred food of choice. He shut up soon after and vacated his position on the armrest.

Now that her personal space was no longer "occupied" by anyone other than herself, she tried once again to go over a passage in the book of poetry before her. Her eyes traveled over the same line over and over again and yet she did nothing about it. The book may have just as well been full of blank pages, because few of the words actually registered in her buzzing head. How long had it been since she last meditated? Had it only been this morning?

While Raven pondered the stability of her current condition, a cheerful and invigorated Starfire approached her from behind, a smile on her face and a shout waiting in her throat to welcome the glorious morn (when in all actuality it was pushing 12:00).

She inhaled.

Beast Boy was on her in an instant, hand clamping down on her mouth and legs wrapping firmly around her waist. She froze, her hands raised to emphasize her joy and glanced in confusion at her captor. He was obviously panicked, to say the least, and he furiously shook his head no. She blinked a few times and Beast Boy jerked his head in the direction of Raven. Starfire looked there once more, and then back at Beast Boy. Same panicked expression, same furious shaking of the head.

Talking to Raven was obviously a bad idea.

It was at this point that Starfire decided that it would be best to skip the morning greeting for now, and let Beast Boy drag her towards the kitchen.

Raven continued to thumb through her book, completely unaware of the chaos that she had just narrowly missed. Under any other situation she would've at least sensed some semblance of Star's aura, but every thought was becoming increasingly jumbled. Words and thoughts were reduced to meaningless jargon, and she could just picture Intelligence looking straight at her in disappointment.

_The first step to resolving a problem is to admit that you have one._

_Well… _she responded mentally,

_I'm not about to admit to something that I obviously do not have!_

She couldn't help but taste the bitterness of the words in her mind. Rejecting common sense? Oh, she was batting a thousand today.

Raven closed her eyes and took in a deep breath to relax.

"Are they not lovely? Robin gave them to me."

Her eyes snapped open as she picked out Starfire's voice.

"I have never seen earth flowers this bright! However, I cannot see why they call this a flower of the sun. The sun is made up of nothing but flames and potent gases."

"Well…" Raven heard Cyborg sigh, "I can tell you that there's a lotta difference between that plant and the sun, I won't argue about that. But that doesn't mean that the name always has to make sense. Names are given for all sorts of reasons. Lookin' at this one though…maybe, it's more about the feeling. Flower's so damn bright, it's like staring the sun straight in the eye. At the same time though, you could almost imagine that you're holding a small piece of the sun in your hands, just for you."

"Dude, you have no idea how gay that just sounded."

Cyborg gave Beast Boy a deadly glance. "Cram it, or we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving real early this year, and guess who'll be moonlighting as the main course."

"That's so not cool." he replied, crossing his arms with a look of defiance.

Starfire watched the exchange settle and giggled before gazing back at the flowers longingly. The smile then slipped away, leaving her with a pensive expression.

"…On Tameran, gifts like this were far from what was normally exchanged. Various foodstuffs, along with armor and other tools of battle were considered much more practical. Numerous festivals and holidays were celebrated in that way and many willingly participated. However, such items were also given as tokens of affection. The customs here on Earth differ greatly from that of my home, but are these flowers such an item?"

Flowers.

Affection.

"_So, does he love you yet?"_

Knuckles turned white as they gripped the book. Raven didn't even know that she was doing it until the force sent tremors down her arms. An unfamiliar feeling lurked at the corner of her mind, and she shoved it down in disgust. Exhaling sharply, she shut the book and readied herself for another impromptu meditation session. Eyes slid shut, caring not where she was or whom she was with. All she knew was that she needed to meditate now.

"Uhh… Maybe it'd be better if you asked Raven. She probably has a better idea of what you're talking about."

A squeal rang through the room and Raven's eyes snapped open.

_What?_

"Dear friend Raven! How could I have not shown you my present?" Starfire yelled, enveloping a stupefied Raven in a hug. She was still trying to comprehend Cyborg's sudden lapse in sanity. "Gaze upon them, and tell me what you think. Are they not simply glorious?"

Bright yellow flowers were pushed into her face and she eyed them half-heartedly. A moment passed, and her eyes rose up to meet Starfire's. Brimming with joy and contentedness, she looked at Raven expectantly.

"They're…perfect."


End file.
